This invention relates to a dispensing package and more particularly a package of the type in which a plurality of disposable bags are nested within one another such that they may be serially disposed of as filled. In order to support the nested bag assembly, a container shell or frame which is foldable to a collapsed form is utilized to which the nested bag stack is permanently attached such that the combination assembly forms a single package and which may be discarded after the last bag is used. In order to accomplish such, the frame is preferably formed of a low cost material such as paperboard or cardboard which folds easily and then, in essence, unfolded or erected to the use position. The bags are preferably formed from a suitable plastic material.
Multiple bag dispensers are generally known and often take the form of a nest or assemblage of a plurality of bags which are supported by a permanent structure and when the last of such nest of bags is utilized, it is replaced with a subsequent nest along with the attendant trouble and difficulty of assembling the two units together. Examples of such prior art devices are shown by Knowles et al in U.S. Pat. No. 4,417,669 issued Nov. 29, 1983 in which the nested stack of disposable plastic bags is attached to various permanent structures and adapted to be serially dispensed therefrom. A similar overall system is shown by U.S. Pat. No. 3,392,825 to Gale et al issued Jul. 16, 1968 in which a container houses a plurality of accordian-folded bags which are adapted to pull up through the top of the bag when one has been dispensed. Another arrangement of interest is shown by the patent to Ling et al, U.S. Pat. No. 4,978,231, issued Dec. 18, 1990 in which a nested arrangement of plastic bags is secured over a waste bin and serially dispensed therefrom. In all the above instances, it should be pointed out that the support structure is neither foldable with nor disposable after the last to be dispensed plastic bag such that a number of convenient features desirable in the present invention are absent.
Another prior art structure of interest is shown by Bergstein in U.S. Pat. No. 4,099,665 issued Jul. 11, 1978 in which a foldable carton includes product containing liners 21 attached thereto and arranged for opening and subsequent re-closing to protect the contents thereof from moisture. Obviously no multiple dispensing concept is involved with the structure of this patent. Other patents of which the applicant is aware and which are of general interest to this invention include the following patents: U.S. Pat. No. 4,457,483 issued Jul. 3, 1984, U.S. Pat. No. 4,869,391 issued Sep. 26, 1989, U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,994 issued Feb. 5. 1991 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,902 issued Aug. 20, 1991.
From the foregoing, it may be seen that the need for a package of this general type in which bags may be serially dispensed therefrom and then the entire remaining package discarded as a unit and one which can be folded during shipment and prior to use to conserve space and increase the convenience of the article is still needed. Accordingly, these and other objects of the present invention are accomplished by the provision of a combination disposable package comprising a substantially rigid yet foldable outer container shell having a stack of a plurality of collapsible nested bags attached thereto and in turn disposed for serial detachment therefrom, said outer shell having a pair of opposed primary panels interconnected along vertically oriented primary fold lines to a pair of secondary panels each in turn having a centrally disposed vertically oriented secondary fold line such that the shell can be substantially flattened upon itself in a storage position wherein the side panels are folded along said secondary fold lines and then opened to its use position wherein the side panels are unfolded to an open position wherein the shell defines an open upper top peripheral edge, said collapsible bags each having a closed body and an open upper lip, said bags nested together and interconnected to adjacent bags along a line at their upper lips, said upper lips of said nested bag stack folded over said open upper top peripheral edge of said shell and the nested body portions of said bags disposed adjacent the inside surfaces of said shell panels such that trash may be placed into the body of the innermost bag of said nested stack and then said innermost bag detached from the bag stack and serially disposed of until only said outermost bag and said shell remain as the combination package and may be disposed of as a unit.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.